2013 Undergraduate Scholars

John Cannon
Carleton College
Major: Biology
Janelia Mentors: Julie Simpson
John used thermogenetic and neuron silencing techniques to develop the proboscis extension reflex in D. melanogaster as a model for understanding sensorimotor integration.

Cynthia Chai
Mount Holyoke College
Major: Neuroscience & Behavior
Janelia Mentors: Gwyneth Card & Anthony Leonardo
Cynthia examined the role of the giant fibers in Drosophila escape behavior in a naturalistic environment.

Elise Croteau-Chonka
Dartmouth College
Major: Neuroscience/Biomedical Engineering
Janelia Mentors: Albert Cardona
Elise developed a computational model to investigate the integration of synaptic inputs in an EM-reconstructed arbor.

Francisco Cueto
University of Granada
Major: Biochemistry
Janelia Mentors: Ulrike Heberlein
Fran studied transgenerational effects of nicotine and ethanol on Drosophila melanogaster behavior.

Josh Fass
University of Virginia
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Janelia Mentor: Nelson Spruston
Josh investigated electrophysiological diversity of early- and late-bursting pyramidal neurons in CA1 and subiculum by targeted whole-cell patch-clamp recording.

Elena Kingston
Swarthmore College
Major: Biochemistry
Janelia Mentor: David Stern
Elena combined a novel, objective two-dimensional behavior mapping methodology with genetic techniques in an investigation of the genetic components of courtship behavior in Drosophila species.

Daniel Mossing
Princeton University
Major: Physics
Janelia Mentor: Philipp Keller
Dan used light sheet microscopy data to quantitatively reconstruct early nervous system development in Drosophila embryos.

Marvin Nayan
University of Washington
Major: Neurobiology and Biochemistry
Janelia Mentor: Gerry Rubin
Marvin worked on the genetic dissection of neuronal circuits underlying visual information processing and the behaviors they mediate in Drosophila.

Gloria Ortiz
Smith College
Major: Chemistry/Portugese & Brazilian Studies
Janelia Mentors: Luke Lavis
Gloria worked on synthesizing a difluoro analog of the dye carbofluorescein to allow for the preparation of a new class of red-shifted calcium indicators.

Elizabeth Pax
Wheaton College
Major: Biology
Janelia Mentors: Davi Bock
Elizabeth worked on determining the percentage of myelinated cells that are inhibitory in mouse cortex by analyzing confocal light microscope images.

Javier Valdes Aleman
Universidad Politécnica del Estado de Morelos
Major: Biotechnological Engineering
Janelia Mentors: Marta Zlatic
Javier worked on identifying neurons involved in the neural circuitry governing the escape response in Drosophila larva.